Jillian Peterson, PhD, said in an article by the association, “When we hear about crimes committed by people with mental illness, they tend to be big headline-making crimes so they get stuck in people’s heads. ... The vast majority of people with mental illness are not violent, not criminal and not dangerous.”

I am bringing up these facts in light of last week's Germanwings plane crash. Black box recordings suggest that co-pilot Andreas Lubitz locked the lead pilot out of the cockpit. And the co-pilot suspected of purposely crashing the jetliner — killing all 150 passengers and crew members aboard — was previously treated for suicidal tendencies and had a background of clinical depression.

When tragedies like this happen, it makes some people fear those with mental illness. And many are asking the question, "Why was he allowed to fly the plane in the first place?"

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls even called Lubitz "criminal, crazy, suicidal" — as if those three adjectives are synonymous with each other.

Julie Beck of The Atlantic wrote in an article, "Suicidal doesn’t equal homicidal. Criminal doesn’t equal crazy. And crazy is an unkind thing to call someone who’s suffering."

In response to the crash, there are musings of mental health exams being mandatory for those in the aviation field.

"A pilot’s mental health is just as important to a safe flight as is his or her physical health. But there is also some concern — valid concerns, in my view — that such assessments will further stigmatize those suffering with mental illness, and only encourage pilots to keep their conditions private, lest they risk losing their jobs," she said.

Urback writes that most medical professionals agree that people with mental illness are more likely to self-harm than they are to injure anyone else.

"Those who are determined to do harm to others will often find a way, though it’s important to recognize that those suffering with depression are not overwhelmingly among them," she wrote. "More than 350 million people suffer with depression. Only one guy crashed a plane."

Jeffrey Swanson, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University, told The Atlantic, "If I could wave a wand and magically cure (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression), the overall amount of violence in society — any minor or serious violent act, pushing and shoving or using a weapon —would go down by about 4 percent ... 96 percent of it would still be there.”

People with all different characteristics have committed unthinkable acts. Saying that people with mental illness cannot be trusted because of this one event is about as logical as saying that all white men or all Germans or anyone in their 20s should not be trusted — which are also all characteristics of Lubitz.

One in four adults experience mental illness in a given year, the National Alliance of Mental Illness reports. That's a lot of people! And, with the appropriate treatment, those with mental illness can lead the same kind of life and achieve the same goals as those without mental illness — including being able to fly an airplane.

Although women's rights have come a long way, there are still men who view women as property or as an object. And there are women who view other women as their competition. In both of these situations, women aren't treated like actual human beings with feelings and emotions.

Almost every woman I know, including me, has had at least one experience in her life (probably several) where she was treated this way by men or judged by other women who didn't
even know her.

Now imagine having a job solely based on your looks — how small your waist is and how big your breasts are — with an expiration date based on your age.

For Playboy bunnies, it was probably flattering and glamorous in the beginning. But after a while, I could imagine it being degrading to know that men across the globe viewed them solely as sexual objects, and that women across the globe envied and even hated them. For “The Girls of the Playboy Mansion,” they were degraded even by the man and the other girls they lived with.

Holly Madison, who used to be known as Hugh Hefner's #1 girlfriend, is revealing what it was actually like to live with Mr. Playboy in her new memoir “Down The Rabbit Hole: Curious Adventures And Cautionary Tales Of A Former Playboy Bunny.”

According to a release by publisher HarperCollins, "After losing her identity, her sense of self-worth, and her hope for the future, Holly found herself sitting alone in a bathtub contemplating suicide."

“What seemed like a fairytale life inside the Playboy Mansion … quickly devolved into an oppressive routine of strict rules, manipulation, and battles with ambitious, backstabbing bunnies.”

If ever a person — man or woman — makes you doubt your own self-worth or treats you like you aren't even a person, then that person shouldn't be in your life, as a friend, a lover or even an acquaintance. Holly proves that, even though on the outside she lived a rich and glamorous life, this is not what made life worth living. And, in reality, this lifestyle actually made her want to die.

Thankfully, instead of taking her life, Holly got out of the situation. And, in time, she found true love that was more than just about looks and fame — a love which gave her reason to get up in the morning.

She is now married to Pasquale Rotella, a man who calls her his “better half,” and the couple has a 2-year-old daughter together.

If she would have taken her life, then this future wouldn't have been possible.

Even when it feels like you have no hope, you can still get out of the situation. Things may not get better right away but, when you don't give up on life, you are also giving yourself the chance of having a better future.

Two years ago, I had the priveldge to meet actress Lauren Potter, known for her role on "Glee" as Becky Jackson, a cheerleader with Down syndrome.

It broke my heart when Lauren told me, "(Students) would call me the R-word. And they would push me into the sand. ... I want to tell people to stop bullying because it really hurts."

Desiree Andrews

Through her role, Lauren has inspired so many people — most recently, Desiree Andrews, a Lincoln Middle School eighth grader. After watching the Fox TV show, Desiree, who also has Down syndrome, decided that she too wanted to be a cheerleader.

She told her dad, "If she can be a cheerleader, I can be a cheerleader," Kenosha News reports.

But, during a basketball game, some members of the crowd started making fun of Desiree. Thankfully the team has more than just "basket" balls. One of the kids stepped up and said, "Don't mess with her," the News reports, and the rest of the team banded together in support of Desiree.

Now, the gym has been renamed "D's House" in Desiree's honor and Kenosha News reports that, before the game starts, the boys on the team run over to Desiree for high fives and fist bumps.

Both Desiree Andrews and Lauren Potter teach us that, no matter how many cruel people there are in this world, there are even more kind and brave people who are willing to stand up and make a difference. The girls also teach that, no matter the struggles we may face in our lives, that doesn't mean that we should stop fighting for our dreams. Desiree and Lauren have inspired millions by their refusal the listen to other people's taunts.

Now, I would like to take this a step further. Lauren Potter, if you're reading this, I would encourage you to call or, even better, meet with this girl who considers you a hero. Deneen Smith, the Kenosha News reporter who wrote this story, can be contacted at dsmith@kenoshanews.com.

Hours before Amber Cornwell, 16, of North Carolina killed herself, she posted on her Facebook page, "If I die tonight, would anyone cry?"

According to Daily Mail, one of Cornwell's friends said, "(Bullies) were really mean. They’d say stuff to her face, behind her back. ... They’d message her on Facebook."

Cosmo magazine reports that bullies would tell Cornwell she had no future and she had nothing going for her.

I feel like bullying has grown since the birth of social media. Many people, while hiding behind their computer, will say things they would never say in person.

But now Facebook is fighting back — adding a feature that may save the lives of people like Cornwell. If you see a worrying status by a friend on Facebook, there is now new tools on the social media platform to report this.

Buzz Feed reports that Facebook has teamed up with a number of suicide prevention groups. If you flag a post by a friend, you are given the option to message that friend, ask another friend for support, or chat with a trained helper at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

The friend will also receive a pop-up that says, "A friend thinks you might be going through something difficult and asked us to look at your recent post."

Next, the person will be given the options to talk to a friend or helpline worker or get tips and support. They will be able to chat online with a prevention volunteer who is on Facebook at that moment and can also view a video which talks about overcoming the urge to kill oneself.

I think it's great that Facebook is doing this. And it makes me wonder — if this option was available three months ago, when Cornwell died, could this have saved her? Maybe if a friend would have reported her Facebook status, she would have realized that people actually did care about her. She would realize that they would cry if she died.

StoneCrest, a psychiatric service provider in Detroit, released this statement about Facebook's new feature: "The idea behind this new Facebook feature is to be able to improve how they respond to threats of suicide and to be able to provide better information to those in need."

"Furthermore, by providing people with more ways to identify those who are in danger, we can all be more successful at preventing suicide. Suicide is a tragic act, but it can be prevented."